We move to the next room, and she gives me a manicure while we chat. It’s my first time ever, and I have to say, it’s actually very pleasant. During this half hour, we get to know each other better. She tells me about her life, which hasn’t been easy at all. Serious relationship issues, neighbours who are… let’s say, completely insane, she tells me about one who hanged his own dogs, the death of her 13-year-old sister from a terrible illness, and a brother-in-law who fled his country looking for a future in Hungary and once invited over a friend who proudly claimed he had killed a policeman.

I’m fascinated by her stories, which I won’t go into now since that’s not the focus here, and I realise how special Anita is. Despite everything she’s been through, she’s sunny, interesting, very intelligent and, on top of that, very cute.

After the manicure, we decided to walk around the village. First, we go see Lake Valence, then we take a walk up a hill, and finally stop for a kebab. When we get back home, she tells me she’ll soon drive me to the station so I can return to Budapest. But I like this girl too much, and I don’t want to leave so soon. I kiss her. She doesn’t seem to expect it and tells me she has a client arriving soon and has to leave. Too bad. But after a moment, she adds, “If you want, you can stay here, turn on the TV, put on Netflix, and we’ll see each other later. I’ll go to my client.”

I don’t think twice and accept. A big act of trust. She’s gone for a couple of hours while I watch a series. I’ll spare you the details of what happened when she came back, but let’s just say we had fun. I stay the night.

When I wake up, I feel like shit. Cough, headache, sore throat. She doesn’t feel great either, but we don’t think much of it. She drives me to the station, and I take the train back to the city, but I’m getting worse, and my fever symptoms kick in. I get tested. Positive. I tell Anita, and she says she’s positive too. Then comes the crazy question: “Why don’t you come here and we do quarantine together?”

My answer: “Why not? I’m coming back.”

I pick up my suitcases, and I already know which train to take. I go back to Valence with the idea of staying one week together, trying it out since we’re basically strangers, and then once recovered, going back to Birmingham. The funniest part is telling my family and friends and seeing their reactions.

Anita’s mum, who lives nearby, comes to meet me and brings loads of stuff, food and medicine. She’s a doctor who works at a hospital. I don’t understand anything written on the medicine boxes, but since I’ve trusted this situation so far, I keep taking them. On top of Covid, I also get dozens of mouth ulcers from the disastrous diet of the past few days. And so my quarantine begins: food, medicine and pain, in the house of a Hungarian girl I met on Tinder.